New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is under fire for wanting to fly flags at half mast on Saturday to honor one of the states most famous residents, Whitney Houston on the day of her funeral. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
There's a firestorm over Whitney Houston's funeral Saturday.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered flags to fly at half-staff - an honor usually reserved for fallen military heroes, cops and firemen. The move is causing an uproar.
On the Today show on Thursday, Donny Deutsch was furious and said, "She was a wonderful singer, this is a tragedy, she was not in public service. I do not think it is appropriate."
One angry resident blogged: "It's a disgrace when we honor an entertainer who had a drug abuse problem which led to their death."
But Christie is firing back in a radio interview.
"I'm disturbed by people who believe that because of her history of substance abuse, that somehow she's forfeited the good things that she did in her life. I just reject that on a human level," said Governor Christie.
The funeral at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark will be streamed live on the internet.
People magazine reports that Houston's Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner will give a eulogy and so will her mentor, music mogul, Clive Davis.
Davis is being criticized over his decision to go ahead with a pre-Grammy® party at the Beverly Hilton with Houston's body still in her suite on the fourth floor.
The red carpet event with stars like Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears behaving as if nothing had happened, is being called the "Walk of Shame."
But actress Gabrielle Union who attended the party, is defending Clive Davis. "We made a judgment call. Clive talked to the family and they said, please go," said Union.
Nancy Grace fiercely defended herself on Good Morning America over her claims Houston's head may have been pushed underwater.
A reporter for Good Morning America said to Grace, "Nancy, can't you just say 'You know, I was wildly speculating and I'm sorry?' "
Grace fired back and said, "I know you probably have never tried a murder case or been in a morgue or attended an autopsy but the reality is, is that is why you have an autopsy. That's what they were looking for."
Houston's death certificate has been released but it gives the cause of death only as "deferred." Her full name is given: Whitney Elizabeth Houston.
Meanwhile, INSIDE EDITION has learned Houston visited three different doctors in the week before she died. Investigators want to know what prescriptions, if any, she was given.
HLN anchor Jane Velez-Mitchell said Houston should never have been prescribed Xanax and other drugs which may have led to her death.
"I don't understand why anybody would prescribe Xanax to a known addict who is known who is supposedly trying to be in recovery. It's irresponsible, in my opinion," said Velez-Mitchell.
And there are reports that Houston was on a drinking binge at the Beverly Hilton Hotel before she died. Witnesses say, she was drinking heavily at the bar and loudly complaining her drinks were being watered down.
